The whole of the 20th century has always put the car at the center. So by putting the pedestrian first, you create these livable places, I think, with more attraction and interest and character.
Prince CharlesRead
If you think about the impact of climate change, [it should be how] a doctor would deal with the problem. A scientific hypothesis is tested to absolute destruction, but medicine can't wait. If a doctor sees a child with a fever, he can't wait for [endless] tests. He has to act on what is there. The risk of delay is so enormous that we can't wait until we are absolutely sure the patient is dying.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Immediate action is necessary in the face of pressing issues like climate change, similar to how a doctor must act quickly to treat a patient.
In this quote, Prince Charles draws a parallel between the urgency of addressing climate change and the swift decision-making required in medicine. He emphasizes that while scientific hypotheses may undergo rigorous testing, real-world situations, such as a doctor treating a sick child, demand prompt action based on available evidence, rather than waiting for complete certainty. This highlights the dangerous consequences of delay when faced with critical challenges that require immediate attention and intervention.
Themes
Climate ChangeUrgencyActionDecisionsMedicine
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech on environmental policy, I would quote this to emphasize the need for swift action against climate change.
More from Prince Charles
All quotes →Climate change should be seen as the greatest challenge to face man and treated as a much bigger priority in the United Kingdom.
Prince CharlesRead
We might be more inclined to think about the longer term if we were more aware of what is happening around us. Perhaps daily weather forecasts could include a few basic facts about the Earth's vital signs or details of where climate change is increasing the likelihood of damaging weather?
Prince CharlesRead
The sustainability revolution will, hopefully, be the third major social and economic turning point in human history, following the Neolithic Revolution - moving from hunter-gathering to farming - and the Industrial Revolution
Prince CharlesRead
Any difficulties which the world faces today will be as nothing compared to the full effects which global warming will have on the world-wide economy.
Prince CharlesRead
It is now 14 years since I first suggested that organic farming might have some benefits and ought to be taken seriously. I shall never forget the vehemence of the reaction.. much of it coming from the sort of people who regard agriculture as an industrial process, with production as the sole yardstick of success.
Prince CharlesRead
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